Removable ladder step



Dec. 28, 1937. A. VOlGT I REMOVABLE LADDER Filed Oct. 24, 1936 PatentedDec. 28, 1937 my 7 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE 2,103,803 REMOVABLELADDER srar- Adolph Voigt, Miami, Fla.

Application October 24, 1936, Serial No. 107,453

2 Claims. (Cl. 228-60) This invention relates to removable steps. withrounded rungs. While the invention is ca-v adapted for use onstepladders, and more particpable of use with any type of ladder, it isparularly to removable ladder steps that are inexticularly useful inconnection with the type of pensive in construction, and readily adaptedto ladder shown in the drawing, since in the use 5 use with ladders tobe placed in any desired posi-t of ladders with rounded rungs,insufilcient sup- 5 tion thereon. port is given for the foot, andcontinued use of Among the objects of the present invention is h laddersd c n i Standing on th the construction of a ladder step of any desiredrounded rungs results in substantial strain. The 'materlal, that may beinexpensively constructed ovab e S eps of t p es invention are D andsimply applied in use on ladders, enabling ticularly useful inconnectionwith ladders of 10 ready removal of the ladder step from andinto s ype to lieve y Strain i their 10118 the desired position, tinueduse. In illustrating the invention, and

Other objects and advantages will appear'from as shown in the drawing,two steps are shown on the more detailed description set forth below,each of the ladders. but this is for the P p of it being understood,howev r, that thi more d illustrating certain features in connectionwith tailed description is given by way of illustration the steps, sincealthough any number of such and explanation only, and not by way oflimita p e s ca be pp d o ladders. it 18 tion, since various changestherein may be made unnecessary to use more than a single step membythose skilled in the art without departing her, which is applied to therung at the partic- 20 from the scope andspirit of the present invenularplace where the user of the ladder must 20 tion. 7 stand for somesubstantial period of time.

In accordance with that more detailed de- The rt cu a type of s epmember Produced scription, there is shown by way of illustration in neeeordeneewith t e present invention, B the accompanying drawing, instep member which can be readily applied tothe Figure l, a frontelevation of a ladder carrying desired ladder. the p member being a Su25 removable step members in accordance with the etentielly flatarticle. h en s 01' whi h re present invention, two such step membersbeing cut away to-receive-the rails of the ladder. Such shown, one ofthem in cross section, in position steps may be made either extensible,as shown in on said ladder; in Figures 15, or substantially 01' onepiece as Figures 2 and 3, side elevators of ladders carshown in Figures6 to 7. The extensible-type rying the step members as shown in Figure 1,steps are desirablymade of metal, while the oneportions of the ladderand lower step members piece step, as shown in Figures 6 to 8, maydebeing shown in section; in sirably be made of wood, although wood mem-Figure 4, a plan view or a removable step members may be telescoped toprovide the form of deber made in accordance with the present invenviceshown in Figures 1 t0 if desired, While tion, in position on the ladder01' Figure 1, the single metal steps of the form shown in Figures railsof the ladder being shown in section, the 6 tot may also be employed.section being taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; Considering moreparticularly the extensible in form of step as shown in Figures 1-5, theladder 40 Figure 5, a perspective view of one of the ex- L having theusual rails I, 2 is provided with the 40 tension members of the stepshown in Figures usual rungs 3. The stepS produced in accordance 1-4; inwith the present invention is desirably made of Figure 6, a modifiedform of step of the present two telescoping members 4, 5, the exposedends invention shown in position on a ladder; in of each of thesetelescoping members 4, 5 being Figure "7, a side elevation of the ladderof Figp ed w th a cu ut p rt 6. espe tive- 45 ure 6 showing the step inposition, the view being ly, for receiving the rails I, 2 of the ladder.partly in section; and in When such extensible members 5 are produced.

Figure 8, a plan view of the step in position on of sheet metal, asillustrated, those portions of the ladder taken along the line 88 ofFigure 6. the metal which are cut away to produce the In accordance withthe presentinvention, a rail reception openings 6, I may desirably be 50removable step member is produced for use on bent downwardly, asparticularly shown in Figany desired type of ladder, although asi1lusure 5, to provide tongues 8 and 9 on one member trated in thedrawing, the invention is particand I0 and II on the other, which metaltongues ularly usefulin connection with those ladders serve the P p e Ofpp e des Ofthe having substantially square-type rails provided rails I,2 of the ladder. While not essential, such 55 tongues 8, 9, l0, and IIare desirable in gripping the sides of the rails I and 2, and holdingthe step in position. The step rests on the corresponding rung 3adjacent thereto, and even though the vertical angle at which the ladderis employed may vary as shown in Figures 2 and 3 particularly, due tothe configuration of the rail-receiving-cuta'way portions of the stepmembers and the depending gripping tongues 8, 9, l0, and I I, the stepwill shift to a horizontal position regardless of the angle at which theladder is used, as particularly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the step inall cases being retained in a substantially rigid position.

When made of sheet metal, the telescoping members may be held togetherin any desired way, but as shown in the drawing, this is desirablyaccomplished by rolling the edges of each of the extensible members 4, 5to produce channel portions I2 and 13 on the inner telescoping member,and channel members I4 and IS on the outer telescoping member, thesechannel members lying within each other and serving to hold the stepportions together.

In the extensible form of step shown in Figures 1-5, the step is easilyplaced in position by telescoping the members until the width of thestep is considerably less than that or the ladder, and then placing thestep on the particular rung of the ladder desired, followed by extensionof the step members iintil the rail-receiving portions of the stepmembers are positioned about the rails, with the tongue portions 8, 9,l0 and I l serving to hold the step in position on the particular rung.In a similar manner the step may be removed from any particular rung,and either taken away completely from the ladder, or placed on any otherrung thereof.

In the form of the device shown in Figures 6 to 8, a substantiallyone-piece step is shown. In this form, the ladder L having rails I and 2and rungs 3 is provided with a one-piece step 20, desirably made ofwood, and having a width greater than the distance between the rails ofthe ladder, but less than the diagonal distance between successive rungsof the ladder, so that the step may be raised into an angular positionand removed from between the rails. Each of the ends of the step 20 isprovided with a cut-out portion 2| adapted to receive the rails i and Zof the ladder.

In using the single piece step shown in Figures 6 to 8, the step may beplaced in position on any particular rung by inserting the stepdiagonally between the rungs, with one of the rail receiving cut-outportions 2| positioned against the corresponding rail, and then droppingthe step into horizontal position, so that the other rail receivingcut-out portion 2| is placed about the corresponding rail. The step willoccupy the position shown of each of the steps in Figures 6 and 7.Similarly, the step may be removed from such position by reversal of theprocedure just mentioned.

It will be seen that a simple step is provided, either of one piece ortelescoping members that may be economically constructed, of inexpensivematerials, and simply applied in connection with any desired type fladder and used, as desired, on any rung thereof.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. A removable ladder step adapted to rest on the rung of a ladder, saidstep comprising telescoping members extensible to a width greater thanthe distance between the rails of the ladder, the end portion of eachtelescoping member being cut away to receive the corresponding rail, thecut away portion of the extensible members having a pair of tongueslying within the cutaway portion and formed from the metal that is cutaway for gripping the corresponding rail, said tongues being directeddownwardly and toward each other so that they serve to maintain the stepin a substantially horizontal position.

2. A removable ladder step having a substantially flat main body portionadapted to rest on the rung of a ladder and having cut away parts in itsend portions adapted to receive the corre sponding rail, the cut awaypart of each end portion having a pair of tongues for gripping thecorresponding rail, said tongues being directed downwardly and towardeach other so that they serve to maintain the face of the main bodyportion in a substantially horizontal position.

ADOLPH VOIGT.

